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en-usCopyright 2015 AOL Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/13/destiny-announces-3-2-million-daily-players/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/13/destiny-announces-3-2-million-daily-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/13/destiny-announces-3-2-million-daily-players/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
It's been a month since Destiny's launch, which is as good a time as any to see how healthy the game is now. As it turns out? Quite healthy indeed. Bungie is reporting that the game has 3.2 million players logging into the game on a regular basis, with the average play session lasting three hours at a stretch even during weekdays.

Bungie also took the opportunity to respond to player complaints about the Iron Banner event. While the event was advertised as allowing gear and power to matter more directly in the Crucible, the event did not simply turn off all restrictions; players are still normalized to an extent so that a level 30 Guardian cannot defeat someone else in a single shot. Power matters, but skill matters too, and the biggest functional difference you can have between players is about a seven-level gap. For more details, take a look at the full explanation.

VG24/7Bungie Weekly Update
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activisionbungiedestinygame-mechanicsmechanicsnewsnews-itemsplayerplayer-numbersplayersMon, 13 Oct 2014 10:00:00 -0400319|20976822http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/09/15/hearthstone-boasts-20-million-registered-players/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/09/15/hearthstone-boasts-20-million-registered-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/09/15/hearthstone-boasts-20-million-registered-players/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
Does it ever seem like there's an endless flow of players in Hearthstone? There's not. But there are quite a lot of players, with Blizzard Entertainment announcing today that the game has broken 20 million registered accounts. If those were all people with real cards, that would be... a lot of cards. Like, at least a dozen.

The game launched on the iPad in April and is aiming at an Android tablet release in the near future, as well as expanding to iOS/Android phones. Hearthstone will also have its first world championship at Blizzcon this year, with contestants fighting for a $250,000 prize pool.

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blizzardccgccgmmohearthstonenewsnews-itemsplayerplayer-numbersplayerstcgtcgmmotrading-card-gameMon, 15 Sep 2014 16:30:00 -0400319|20962613http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/09/08/the-nexus-telegraph-wildstar-aint-doing-so-good/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/09/08/the-nexus-telegraph-wildstar-aint-doing-so-good/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/09/08/the-nexus-telegraph-wildstar-aint-doing-so-good/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
If you somehow missed it, last week the WildStar team announced that the game will be squishing into megaservers to help bolster populations. What the hell happened?

Contrary to what the developers would like you to believe, this is not good news. It's especially bad news if you're part of the roleplaying community, as you're about to get shoved into a server configuration that's almost specifically designed to prevent you from roleplaying outside of a handful of shared plots, but it's bad news for everyone. And it's bad news for the game when server merges are a reasonable reaction after less than three full months of operation.

We all know that the game launched to good reviews, and it's far too early to say, "Well, it failed." At the same time, this is not a sign of a robust and vibrant future. This is the first stage of an organized retreat, and it doesn't inspire confidence. So what, exactly, took place that brought the game from the high of its launch to server mergers today?

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business-modelbusiness-modelscarbinecarbine-studioscolumnfeaturedfirst-impressionimpressionmegaserversncsoftnexusnexus-telegraphopinionperformanceplayerplayer-focusplayersreceptionreleasereviewssandparksci-fantasysci-fiserver-mergessuggestionsthe-nexus-telegraphwildstarMon, 08 Sep 2014 12:00:00 -0400319|20956446http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/07/22/league-of-legends-cracks-down-on-more-bad-seeds/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/07/22/league-of-legends-cracks-down-on-more-bad-seeds/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/07/22/league-of-legends-cracks-down-on-more-bad-seeds/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#commentsRiot Games has announced its next level of enforcement for problematic players in the wildly popular League of Legends. After working toward player reform over the last few years, the studio is now looking at a more aggressive approach.

In cases of "extreme toxicity" (i.e. racism, death threats, homophobic remarks, etc.), troublesome players can expect a more severe penalty ranging from a 14-day ban to a permanent ban from the game. In the case that an "unfair ban" comes into question, Riot says they will now be fully transparent with chat logs and post the exact log that led to the player's ban.

Intentional leavers/AFKers are also a concern for Riot as they plan to address these problems in the future.

Destructoid
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afkersbancrackdownhomophobialeague-of-legendsperma-banpermanent-banplayersracismredditriot-gamesriotlytesmackdownTue, 22 Jul 2014 13:00:00 -0400319|20934978http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/03/25/im-so-bored-with-the-horde/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=WoW&ncid=rss_semi
http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/03/25/im-so-bored-with-the-horde/http://wow.joystiq.com/2014/03/25/im-so-bored-with-the-horde/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=WoW#comments
This isn't a rant about how the Horde is bad, or how you should feel bad for playing them, or anything. If you like playing Horde, I'm not arguing that you're wrong to do so. I know that's a subjective thing, and some folks just plain like specific Horde races better. This is more about how, after Mists of Pandaria, I'm completely exhausted as a player with Horde stories and the Horde/Alliance conflict. I'm not inherently opposed to Horde/Alliance conflict. In fact, I think it made Mists of Pandaria a very strong expansion, with a strong and interesting story. I especially liked patch 5.1, and played both the Horde and Alliance storylines.

And frankly, that was the last time any of my Horde characters got any serious play.

Since 5.1 I've felt myself shifting away from the Horde. Part of that was going back to raiding on my draenei warrior, of course. But a bigger part of it was simple ennui, and a general culture shift in the Horde that left me feeling totally unable to connect to it. When I rolled my first Horde characters (an orc shaman and tauren warrior back in vanilla days) there was a real, concrete tone shift when I played them vs, when I played my Alliance characters. A sense of desperate odds, of outcasts banding together to stand against a hostile world, facing off against a monolithic power.

That's gone. It's probably gone forever. Even after the events of Mists of Pandaria, it's impossible to view the faction that banded together from the events of Warcraft III as the same entity anymore - over the course of two expansions, the Horde went from underdogs to aggressors. And while I've heard many players say things like "the orcs are not the whole Horde" to attempt to distance ourselves, fact is, my tauren did the quests in Twilight Highlands. My blood elf led the charge onto Pandaria's shores, and he stole the Divine Bell so that Garrosh could make use of it. Up until patch 5.3, if you played Horde, there was no real way to not aid Garrosh's cause - you were complicit in everything that helped make the Warchief's plan work. The orcs may not be the whole Horde, but what excuse does that give your pandaren or forsaken, when they're the ones who delivered the keys to the kingdom into Garrosh's hands?

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AllianceFactionsHordeplayersracesstorylinesTue, 25 Mar 2014 19:00:00 -040099|20856329http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/12/03/feedback-and-what-it-does-and-doesnt-do/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=WoW&ncid=rss_semi
http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/12/03/feedback-and-what-it-does-and-doesnt-do/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/12/03/feedback-and-what-it-does-and-doesnt-do/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=WoW#comments
For as long as I've been playing World of Warcraft (which is as long as it's been around) one thing I've seen over and over again is the constant debate between players about the forums and what they're for. Blizzard has stated repeatedly that they listen to player concerns and take feedback very seriously, but they've also stated that they don't design by committee. Still, we've seen design choices made with the player base and its reactions in place - Mists of Pandaria had a far more engaging and active endgame than did Cataclysm, and it evolved over the course of the expansion in response to player reaction. Similarly, many credit (or blame) the steep increase in difficulty in heroic dungeons between the end of Wrath of the Lich King and the neginning of Cataclysm on fanbase complaints.

One question that seems to get asked a lot is does anyone at Blizzard care about the forums, which to my mind is a strange question to ask given the evidence I just cited. Clearly, player feedback (and not just from the forums, either) is something that Blizzard pays a lot of attention to. CM Takralus gave a brief on what, exactly, the CM's do with player feedback on the forums and how it is brought to the devs' attention.

Let's talk a bit about feedback. When is it useful and when isn't it useful?

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feedbackforumsmists-of-pandariaplayerstakraluswarlords-of-draenorTue, 03 Dec 2013 17:00:00 -050099|20779660http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/11/07/rift-sees-a-player-surge-on-steam/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/11/07/rift-sees-a-player-surge-on-steam/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/11/07/rift-sees-a-player-surge-on-steam/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
The near-ubiquity of Steam as a distribution platform can certainly drive players to your game. A little less than a week after RIFT launched on Steam, Trion Worlds is reporting that RIFT and Defiance have seen a combined influx of 250,000 new players, beating out the numbers reported both for the launch of Storm Legion and RIFT's free-to-play conversion. It's the largest influx of players the game has ever seen since its original launch, for that matter: Trion says it made for the "highest single day gain in new users" since the game first opened its doors.

What does that mean for the long run? That's the eternal question. RIFT launched its most recent major patch yesterday, but whether or not it will encourage players new to the game to subscribe or buy things in the cash shop is up for debate. Regardless, it's a good sign of health for the game as a whole, so congratulations are in order to the RIFT team on the number bump.

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clientsf2pfantasyfree-to-playlaunchnewsnumbersplayer-numbersplayerspvprelaunchriftrift-literift-planes-of-telararvrsteamsubscribersthree-faction-pvpthree-way-pvptriontrion-worldsvalveThu, 07 Nov 2013 13:00:00 -0500319|20763426http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/10/23/old-school-runescape-grows-to-1m-players-opens-god-wars-dunge/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/10/23/old-school-runescape-grows-to-1m-players-opens-god-wars-dunge/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/10/23/old-school-runescape-grows-to-1m-players-opens-god-wars-dunge/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
The "Old School" version of RuneScape has proven to be a hit with players, growing to over one million users. Jagex trumpeted the milestone along with a new update to the game bringing back the God Wars dungeon.

Executive Producer Phil Mansell thinks that this shows classic servers have strong appeal for the community: "Seeing RuneScape Old School hit the million player mark so soon after launch is a great milestone for the game, and our players have joined the celebration by voting for the game's most epic update to date."

Over 89% of the playerbase voted for the inclusion of the God Wars dungeon, in which groups will face-off against four bosses for a shot at a legendary Godsword and other shiny gear. You can check out the dungeon video after the break.

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browserbrowser-basedclassic-mmof2pfantasyfree-to-playgod-warsjagexjagex-games-studiomilestoneold-schoolold-school-runescapephil-mansellplayersrsrunescaperunescape-2007runescape-classicrunescape-old-schoolsandboxWed, 23 Oct 2013 15:00:00 -0400319|20752515http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/08/23/lead-designer-says-guild-wars-2-is-growing-its-playerbase/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/08/23/lead-designer-says-guild-wars-2-is-growing-its-playerbase/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/08/23/lead-designer-says-guild-wars-2-is-growing-its-playerbase/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
Buy-to-play games can be difficult to judge in terms of metrics. You can't point to the total number of people who have bought the game because there's no proof those people are still playing. Guild Wars 2 has sold plenty of boxes, and according to lead designer Isaiah Cartwright those boxes are translating to long-term players after all. In fact, Cartwright told Polygon that the game is experiencing growth in both overall and concurrent players after launch.

While the game did experience a population drop after launch, Cartwright stressed that this was entirely normal and something that every designer should plan for. He declined to give hard numbers on player growth, but he did state that the game's current update plan came about as a result of looking at the game's metrics and determining what players were more likely to log in for.

Guild Wars 1 is also apparently maintaining a solid number of players, and while the game is in maintenance mode, Cartwright states that it's in no risk of shutting down.

Polygon
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anetarenanetbox-salesbuy-to-playconcurrent-playersfantasygame-populationguild-wars-2gw2isaiah-cartwrightncsoftoverall-playersplayerspopulationsalesFri, 23 Aug 2013 14:00:00 -0400319|20702355http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/08/the-daily-grind-whats-your-ideal-group-size/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/08/the-daily-grind-whats-your-ideal-group-size/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/08/the-daily-grind-whats-your-ideal-group-size/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#commentsWorld of Warcraft is introducing flexible raids soon, allowing you to experience major content with any size of group that you want. Assuming, of course, that you want to experience that content with at least nine other people. The flexibility is nice, but it doesn't allow you to run with any group size that you want.

But maybe that isn't an issue for you in the slightest. Maybe your ideal group size is a dozen people. Perhaps you'd prefer five people along with you, or seven, or just two. City of Heroes scaled most content to group size no matter what, asking players to bring as many people along as they liked and not worry about having too many or too few.

So let's throw the question over to you, dear readers. What's your ideal group size? Are you happiest in small groups, pairs, large groups, or massive onslaughts whose numbers block out the sun?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

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culturedaily-grindendgameendgame-groupsgroup-contentgroup-sizegroupsopinionplayerssizetdgthe-daily-grindSat, 08 Jun 2013 08:00:00 -0400319|20604218http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/the-useless-distinction-between-casual-and-hardcore/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=WoW&ncid=rss_semi
http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/the-useless-distinction-between-casual-and-hardcore/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/the-useless-distinction-between-casual-and-hardcore/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=WoW#comments
If the words 'casual' and 'hardcore' ever had a useful role in determining the differences between players in World of Warcraft, and I am not convinced they ever did, they no longer do. A player who wants to have an alt of every single class at max level and makes that happen is not playing the game casually even if she never raids. A player who collects several hundred pets and levels many of them through pet battles, or has a similarly high number of mounts, or determines to go out and get every cooking recipe in the game(including Dirge's Kickin' Chimeraok Chops which you can't even get anymore but somehow he finds a way) is playing the game very seriously indeed.

Quite frankly, despite the fact that I raid a set schedule, I often feel like I'm significantly more 'casual' than many players who never raid at all. I know I play a lot less - I definitely do not log on every day, I don't run LFR unless I missed a boss in normal (because I want a shot at my Secrets of the Empire off of that boss) and I don't do pet battles, farm, or even do daily quests anymore. So with my roughly fifteen hours of WoW a week, 12 of it spent inside a raid and the other three futzing about older raids for transmog gear, am I casual or hardcore? And does it matter?

Ordinarily I'd explore the answer in the paragraphs to come. But frankly, the answer is no. It doesn't matter. It is so far from mattering that the light from it mattering won't reach us for fifty thousand years. What matters is finding out what players want to do with their time and letting them do it.

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altscasualdaily-questsdungeonshardcoremists-of-pandariaplayersraidingscenariosThu, 09 May 2013 16:00:00 -040099|20563495http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/02/22/when-things-get-better/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=WoW&ncid=rss_semi
http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/02/22/when-things-get-better/http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/02/22/when-things-get-better/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=WoW#comments
There's no other way to put it - I was not having fun in World of Warcraft the past couple of months.

A big chunk of that was my personal health woes, which are what they are and have nothing to do with the game. Since those have eased up, it's not surprising that I'd enjoy the game more than I was before. But what's come to my attention is how much of that "not having fun" had nothing to do with the game itself, nor my personal situation, but one person. One person in my guild made the game not fun for me. What's really amazing is, I only figured this out once that person wasn't around to ruin my good time.

Daily quests? I've been doing them like gangbusters this week - to the point where, on some days I actually had to go back to Cataclysm content because I ran out of dailies to do. Heroic dungeons? Yup. Scenarios? Double yup. Raids? Been in the thick of 'em, and even increased my performance. Leveling alts? Yes I have. The only thing I haven't done is LFR, and that's because I don't need anything from it. I even hit up Sha of Anger, and I haven't looked at that guy in 2013.

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contentmentmists-of-pandariaplayer-conductplayersyakFri, 22 Feb 2013 12:00:00 -050099|20473114http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/27/the-daily-grind-how-well-do-you-know-your-in-game-friends/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/27/the-daily-grind-how-well-do-you-know-your-in-game-friends/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/27/the-daily-grind-how-well-do-you-know-your-in-game-friends/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
I'm a fairly open guy. As far as I'm concerned, my job makes me something of a public figure, and that means a certain amount of transparency is implied. So I don't shy away from letting people know who I am, and while I'm frequently roleplaying, I make an effort to get to know the people behind the characters. I like to get to know the people behind the characters to see who it is I'm playing with.

Not everyone else feels the same way. For some people, logging in to play EVE Online means that it's EVE Online time, not time to play the game while talking about television in chat. That can lead to fewer long-term friendships that transcend the game, but it also means that you have a more immersive experience. So what about you? Do you get to know your in-game friends as people, or do you stick to just knowing them as characters?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

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culturedaily-grindinterpersonal-relationshipsoocopinionother-playersout-of-characterplayer-interactionplayer-knowledgeplayerstdgthe-daily-grindSat, 27 Oct 2012 08:00:00 -0400319|20362655http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/05/the-soapbox-why-solo-players-dont-just-play-a-single-player-ga/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/05/the-soapbox-why-solo-players-dont-just-play-a-single-player-ga/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/05/the-soapbox-why-solo-players-dont-just-play-a-single-player-ga/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#commentsDisclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

When I play an MMO, I tend to play solo. This isn't because I outright dislike grouping -- I've said exactly the opposite before -- but when given the choice, I'll default to solo. I don't always have a reliable play schedule, I like having the freedom to start and stop projects at my whim, and most importantly, I like the option of just tuning out a bit and losing myself in a solitary romp every now and again.

Some people get very bothered by this, though, and they really dislike the fact that there are solo players asking for more solo content. Sometimes it's rooted in a fear that solo content will interfere with group content, and sometimes it's because of the fear that no one will group if there's plenty to do solo, but the same argument gets brought up every time: "If you want to play solo, you should be playing a single-player game."

Except they're not the same thing. Not by far. There are distinct benefits to playing in an MMO even if you prefer doing most content solo instead of in a group.

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editorialfeaturedmultiplayerop-edopinionplayersplaying-aloneplaystylerantrantssingle-playersoapboxsolosolo-playsolo-playersthe-soapboxworking-aloneTue, 05 Jun 2012 17:00:00 -0400319|20250251http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/when-players-cross-the-line-to-harassment/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=WoW&ncid=rss_semi
http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/when-players-cross-the-line-to-harassment/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/when-players-cross-the-line-to-harassment/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=WoW#comments
Sometimes, despite our best efforts at being pleasant and respectful, we run into "that guy." You may or may not know who they are. They may be male. They may be female. They may be young or old. But the one thing they are, no matter who they are, is rude, inconsiderate, and possibly a little scary. It seems odd that someone could be considered frightening in the context of a video game full of fanciful creatures made up of millions of pixels, but harassment exists, and it's not a laughing matter.

I hate using my ignore button. I'm one of those people who lives in a fantasy land where I assume and am forever hopeful that people can talk things out like two reasonable adults and come to a mutual, satisfactory conclusion about things. I hate stopping the flow of conversation, because I believe that everything can be worked out in due time as long as people are being reasonable.

Unfortunately, I've had to use that ignore button on more than one occasion, and I've had to deal with people who were anything but reasonable over the course of the seven years I've played this game. When someone crosses the line from reasonable to threatening, there is a distinct course of action a player should take.

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blizzardharassmentongoing-harassmentplayersrepeat--harassmentreport-featurereportingreporting-a-playerreporting-playersworld--of-warcraftwow-playersWed, 18 Apr 2012 15:00:00 -040099|20218213http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/soes-john-smedley-expresses-regrets-over-swg-mishaps/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/soes-john-smedley-expresses-regrets-over-swg-mishaps/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/soes-john-smedley-expresses-regrets-over-swg-mishaps/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#commentsStar Wars Galaxiesmay be no more, but its legacy lives on in memories, discussion, and hindsight analysis. Sony Online Entertainment's John Smedley had a frank talk with Industry Gamers in which he owns up to the mistakes of how the studio handled the title, particularly surrounding the much-maligned Combat Upgrade and New Game Enhancements.

What would Smedley do if he could go back and give it another try? His first regret is launching the game before the space combat system was done, and his second is that SOE didn't talk and listen to its players more. "We would have encouraged more in-depth discussion with the community surrounding the idea of any game modifications," he said.

Smedley is highly optimistic for the studio's future, particularly in its fervent belief in the free-to-play business model: "We think that 'Free to Play, Your Way' is our future. Giving players choices is the theme of how we're moving forward as a company, which means greater flexibility for our player base."

It's no secret that Star Wars: The Old Republic is one of the most highly anticipated MMORPGs in recent memory, and the game's recently concluded public testing phase confirms the hype. The game's publisher, EA, announced that the SWTOR test phase drew in over 2 million players, and of those 2 million, 750,000 unique players jumped into the game over the Thanksgiving weekend alone.

EA also shared some interesting statistics about the game's test players. Over the holiday weekend, players averaged about 12 hours of game time each for a grand total of over 9 million hours of playtime across the playerbase. If you didn't get a chance to try the beta, or if you simply couldn't get enough, you don't have much longer to wait. The game launches in about two weeks on December 20th, with pre-order head start beginning on the 15th.

It's not all sunshine and butterflies over in DCUO-land, however. Players have been experiencing a number of issues with the F2P transition, such as astoundingly long server queues, endless loading screens, and other gameplay-inhibiting problems. Smedley says that the team is "on it," though.

If you want to be part of the game's booming playerbase, just head on over to the game's official site (or download the game on Steam) and jump on in.

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boostdc-comicsdc-universe-onlinedcuof2pfree-to-playgrowthjohn-smedleyplayer-baseplayerspopulationpopulation-growthsoesony-online-entertainmenttransitionMon, 07 Nov 2011 17:30:00 -0500319|20100729http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/12/yslandia-hits-player-milestone-goes-free-to-play/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/12/yslandia-hits-player-milestone-goes-free-to-play/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/12/yslandia-hits-player-milestone-goes-free-to-play/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
As mobile MMOs are taking off in popularity, Yslandia is proving that a smaller platform doesn't necessarily mean a smaller playerbase. The pocket-sized MMO just announced its 100,000th player, and to celebrate the milestone, Moving Playeris making the game free-to-play with in-game store purchases.

Since its release last fall, Yslandia has grown to include four island zones, 300 quests, and 18 classes. Players on iOS devices can log in and play solo or with friends across this cute world. The game has a customizable UI and features spirited PvP battles as players wage war for territory.

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100000app-storeapplef2pfree-to-playiosmobile-mmomoving-playermovingplayerplayerspvpuiyslandiaTue, 12 Apr 2011 13:00:00 -0400319|19910397http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/04/the-daily-grind-when-does-friendly-turn-frustrating/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/04/the-daily-grind-when-does-friendly-turn-frustrating/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/04/the-daily-grind-when-does-friendly-turn-frustrating/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
We all know, from years of experience, that there's a certain community duty to help newer players get acclimated to the game. Or younger players, or... really, anyone. It's in the community's best interests to be friendly and open. But there's always the threat of the player who seems friendly and enjoyable... until you log on again and he whispers you almost instantly. And then the next time. And again. He's always there, latched onto you as if you're the only beacon of kindness in the world, and while you want him to keep playing, you want to play City of Heroes, not City of Helping the Socially Maladjusted.

The worst part of these situations, naturally, is that it spoils you on helping former players. It makes the community as a whole more hostile, and even though you still know helping new players is a good thing, it's hard not to be colder. So when have you run into a player whom you wished you hadn't helped out? When has being friendly and open wound up frustrating you to no end?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

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communitycommunity-concernsfriendlinessfrustrationhelpingnew-playersnewbiesnewbsnoobopinionplayer-cultureplayerstdgthe-daily-grindMon, 04 Apr 2011 08:00:00 -0400319|19901324http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/03/eve-evolved-power-players-and-player-retention/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/03/eve-evolved-power-players-and-player-retention/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/03/eve-evolved-power-players-and-player-retention/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Massively#comments
As I mentioned in our coverage of the EVE OnlineFanfest, the best part of the experience for me was discussing EVE with players who are as involved in and enthusiastic about the game as I am. On my first night there, I got into a fascinating discussion with a few players on a topic I hadn't really considered before -- power players. Every MMO has players who get heavily involved in their chosen game. EVE's Fanfest really highlighted this, as around a thousand of EVE's power players flew to Iceland just to talk about the game, contribute ideas in roundtable discussions and find out what the future holds for the game.

Ultimately, the fate of EVE lies in its community. EVE's main strength as an MMO is the fact that with so many players in one game universe, people form very real ties with each other. Corporations and alliances are more than just collections of people; they're sub-communities with their own aspirations, internal politics, playstyles, personalities and even senses of humour. These organisations give people support and a place to call home in an unforgiving universe, and it's the power players of EVE who make all of that possible.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I explore the importance of power players in MMOs and what the concept means for EVE's development.

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ccpccp-eveccp-gamescommunitiescommunitycorpcorporationcorporationscorpsdevelopmentemergenceemergenteveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedfollowersleadersleadershiponline-communitiesopinionorganisationorganizationplayer-retentionplayerspower-playersretentionsubscribersSun, 03 Apr 2011 18:00:00 -0400319|19891353http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/28/frogster-gives-us-piles-of-runes-of-magic-stats/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Massively&ncid=rss_semi
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While not everyone is a math or statistics geek, there's a certain intriguing quality to MMO stats. Whenever we post statistics for games, there are inevitably discussions on concurrent users, paid subscribers, and overall registered accounts. Unfortunately, free-to-play games like Frogster's Runes of Magic don't really lend themselves to discussions of subscriptions vs. registered accounts since it has no monthly fee. Nevertheless, the game still provides some interesting statistics.

According to a release sent earlier today, Frogster has posted a handful of curious stats that are sure to pique the interest of those who love to dissect MMO minutiae. Over the last two years, 6,657,370 characters have stepped into Runes of Magic. Mages are an incredibly popular class, with 2.2 million characters, and there's a tie at 650,000 characters created for both Rogues and Warriors. Apparently, the Priest/Mage dual class is a highly popular combo for players; and Priest takes secondary class of choice at 350,000, followed by Warriors with 150,000. Over three million characters serve as Herbalists, with 1.1 million players dabbling in Alchemy.

English-speaking servers have seen 3,505,269 quests turned in and 4,622 guilds created. Groups in the game have taken the Demon Lord down 4,521 times and have wiped the floor with Erekat III almost three times more. Raksha is still the one to beat, according to Frogster's metrics, which suggest that boss has only been downed 182 times on the highest difficulty. Finally, no raid would be complete without silly pets along for a screenshot -- we're told that there are over 100,000 rune pets tagging along with players. In all, it's certainly an interesting set of statistics, if a bit random. After all, Frogster was very careful not to say which class was the overall most popular one!

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alchemyclassesf2pfree-to-playfrogsterfrogster-interactiveherbalisminterestingmageplayersrandomrogueromrune-petrunes-of-magicrunewakerrunewaker-entertainmentstatisticswarriorMon, 28 Mar 2011 21:00:00 -0400319|19894436http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/12/01/15-minutes-of-fame-in-search-of-fascinating-players/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=WoW&ncid=rss_semi
http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/12/01/15-minutes-of-fame-in-search-of-fascinating-players/http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/12/01/15-minutes-of-fame-in-search-of-fascinating-players/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=WoW#commentsFrom Hollywood celebrities to the guy next door, millions of people have made World of Warcraft a part of their lives. How do you play WoW? We're giving each approach its own 15 Minutes of Fame.

We're looking for fascinating people! 15 Minutes of Fame is on the lookout for people who've managed to work WoW into or around their lives or play the game in new and interesting ways. Know someone who fits the bill? Is there a type of player you'd like to hear more about? Tell us!

I know this guy ... Know someone exceptional? It could be someone who plays the game in an interesting way or has achieved remarkable goals in game, or it could be someone who does something interesting outside of the game and manages to bring those ideas and perspectives to the game. Maybe you don't know this player personally, but you know about their accomplishments in game or out and are curious to learn more about their approach to World of Warcraft. Tip us off -- maybe we'll feature your nominee! Tell us in one paragraph what makes your nominee a remarkable WoW player. (We've met a lot of inspirational guild leaders in our time; if you're going to nominate a GM, give us specific examples of what makes this leader stand out from so many others.) Send us your tips, including a way or at least an idea of how to reach your nominee, to lisa@wowinsider.com.

Looking for members Is your guild planning to hit Cataclysm content completely blind -- no spoilers, no strats, no foreknowledge of what's to come? We want to hear from you! But wait -- blind raiders are far from the only players we're searching for. We're looking for a whole host of different types of players for a possible turn in the 15 Minutes of Fame spotlight. Hit the jump to find out if you might know (or be!) any of the players we're currently seeking.

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facebookfeedfeaturedinterviewpersonalitiesplayersworld-of-warcraft-interviewswow-communitywow-interviewswow-peoplewow-personalitieswow-playersWed, 01 Dec 2010 09:00:00 -050099|19736757http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/11/kaleidescape-outs-m300-and-m500-blu-ray-players-copiers/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/11/kaleidescape-outs-m300-and-m500-blu-ray-players-copiers/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/11/kaleidescape-outs-m300-and-m500-blu-ray-players-copiers/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#commentsKaleidescape's just announced another line of high end home entertainment products -- this time it's the M300 and M500 Blu-ray players. The M500 also boasts Blu-ray copying abilities, too -- allowing you to import Blu-rays, DVDs and CDs onto your server at home. In an interesting decision, Kaleidescape will require that the physical Blu-ray disc be present for playback from the server -- which, you may be thinking, rather defeats the purpose, doesn't it? Pretty much. Thankfully, Kaleidescape's got a disc loader in the works which will allow you to keep a "large number" of discs ready in the system for faster loading. The loader itself isn't expected to be ready for retail until the first half of next year, but you can grab the M300 and the M500 beginning May 18th, with the M300 running $2,495 and the M500 at $3,995. The full press release follows.

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blu-raybluraycopiercopiersdrmdvdhome entertainmentHomeEntertainmentkaleidescapeplayerplayersTue, 11 May 2010 10:51:00 -040021|19472653http://wow.joystiq.com/2009/12/11/dungeon-finder-reactions-from-players/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=WoW&ncid=rss_semi
http://wow.joystiq.com/2009/12/11/dungeon-finder-reactions-from-players/http://wow.joystiq.com/2009/12/11/dungeon-finder-reactions-from-players/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=WoW#comments
The long-awaited Dungeon Finder is finally out on the servers, and people have had a few days with it now, so let's jump in and gauge some early reactions. Overall, it seems to be a big hit -- tanks and healers are jumping into groups right away, and while we've heard of longer waits for DPS, it doesn't seem bad at all. While of course the initial flood of people brought instance servers down (I'd expect to see the same thing happen during peak time this weekend), everything seems to be working well since then: disenchanters are correctly dropping items out, loot is getting distributed correctly, and groups are doing what they were always supposed to do: rake in the badges and rewards for players.

Hots and Dots actually has a long take on the Dungeon Finder, including "15 Things You Should Know," like that tanks and healers are still as important as ever (if you sign up for DPS and another role, you likely won't be doing DPS), and that we're finding out very quickly just how skilled or knowledgeable people really are ("the Party Leader will be forced to confess midway [through] that they actually know nothing about the instance").